Who governs the country?

President Chandrika Kumaratunga is to name her 20-member new cabinet today in accordance with the memorandum of understanding reached with the JVP. There was speculation yesterday whether she would name a smaller cabinet, not because of the JVP breathing down her neck but for the fear of a greater number of disgruntled ministers and deputy ministers who would have been dropped deciding to cross over to the opposition. There is nothing in the memorandum to prevent the president from naming less than 20 ministers and this would be welcomed by the public who watched helplessly as the cabinet swelled up to 42 ministers.

There were reports that the JVP was also objecting to some of the incumbent ministers being re-appointed on various grounds. This would be tantamount to the JVP having a say in the selection of the cabinet ministers as well., a provision not provided in the MOU. Certainly simple reduction in the number of ministers will not make sense if corrupt and inefficient ministers are appointed or re- appointed.But it does confer extraordinary powers on the JVP who are not a constituent party of the government.

A report on our front page today says that the JVP wants a joint panel of PA and JVP members to be appointed to ensure : the government does not incur further expenditure on the new President’s Palace now under construction in the parliamentary complex; imposition of a ceiling on foreign travel of ministers; imposition of a ceiling on the fuel allowances of ministers, MPs and officials and limits placed on expenditure in housing of ministries. The report also says that the JVP wants panels, task forces and committees appointed. They are to inquire even into matters relating to ILO conventions as well as purchases of armaments.

While all these are included in the MOU, when it comes to implementation, the question that arises is: Who is governing this country: PA, JVP or both?

While the objectives set out in the MOU are what the PA had promised but failed to implement and the opposition parties have been demanding, it appears that it is the JVP that is at the levers of power and not the Peoples Alliance which is supposed to be the ruling party and government. This because the existence of the government is dependent on the JVP who can topple the government at any given moment by withdrawing its ten-member support in parliament.

The MOU is for one year and what does the PA government hope to contribute within this year? Will the 104-member strong PA be wagged by the tail of ten MPs? In coalition governments the majority party is often held to ransom by minority parties on certain issues but this alliance not being any kind of government is unique in that the minority party appears to be calling all the shots whereas the majority party seems to have run out of powder.

JVP spokesmen have often referred to this arrangement as ‘government by remote control’. It certainly seems to be so since the signing of the MOU.

While this MOU can bring about certain vital constitutional reforms and get rid of many cankers that our body politik has been suffering from, it is quite obvious that it can only be a short-term measure to tide over the current political crisis. A government got to have a will of its own and have its definite objectives and plans for the future and not be tied down hand and foot as what is happening to the PA. The MOU is for one year but can this country carry on in this fashion for a year with the economy in tatters and a intense armed conflict raging in the North and East?

There is widespread speculation that President Kumaratunga is playing for time to avoid defeat till paraliment can be dissolved in October. Dissolution of paraliment soon seems inevitable. Until then the fortuitous circumstances have emerged should be exploited to enact vital constitutional amendments that are urgently needed.

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